Necktie pocket for concealing a portable entertainment device

ABSTRACT

A necktie pocket for concealing technological devices and other similarly sized items, such as business cards, is disclosed. The pocket comprises strategically-located attachment slots and a front side comprising a sheer slick fabric which allows an appropriately-sized device to be inserted and extracted from the pocket.

BACKGROUND

Men's dress has evolved over the years such that formal and businessattire is generally staid with respect to color. Neutral tones areprevalent and bright tones nearly absent. However, despite the fact thatmost formal and business dress relies heavily on a neutral palette,color is still an essential component of men's dress: The addition ofcolor to men's wardrobes is the job of the tie. As a men's dressaccessory, the tie is such an essential part of men's attire that it isrequired in most formal and business situations. Furthermore, the tiebears part of the responsibility of making the wearer's impression uponviewers a favorable one, as it may be the most visible piece of apparelin a suit of clothes that is seen by approaching viewers. It rests in aconspicuous, forward position at nearly eye level, and even when asuitcoat is closed, the tie knot is a spot of bright color above thelapel.

While the tie has been a dress essential for years, the evolution ofultrasmall modes of electronic entertainment is relatively recent. Theminiaturization of entertainment and information means has made itpossible for one to bring music and other auditory modes ofentertainment and information with them to the gym, to the office, onerrands, etc. However, even though such miniaturized modes ofentertainment are small and relatively unobtrusive, carrying them inplain view is not appropriate for every common setting, as they canstill be very visible when worn with formal or business clothes, such asattached to a belt or stowed in a breast pocket. The visible presenceof, for example, an ipod, on ones person, may give the subtle impressionthat the wearer is distracted by recreation and lacks the presence ofmind and discipline for the occasion. Even hiding a device, such as anipod, in a pocket, generally does not make the device inconspicuousbecause the wire to the audio piece is visible. Nevertheless, thestability afforded by such an arrangement has always been considerednecessary in order to keep the device from being damaged by blows andspills.

While ties are essential, and there is a need for effective methods forconcealing technological entertainment and information devices, therehave been few attempts to merge ties and technology. Ties are importantornamental accessories as they greatly impact the wearer's firstimpression upon new acquaintances. Thus, the involvement of the tie in amore functional sense has been avoided. Creases and outlines visible onthe surface of the tie are generally unacceptable in any setting, andany interference with the natural dynamics of the tie, such as thatcaused by weights or fasteners is just as undesirable. Furthermore,securing a section of a tie by methods known in the art does not improveits ability to be merged with technology, as adding weight to theunsecured section, such as by attaching a technological device, couldcause the tie to move unnaturally as the wearer moved about,particularly when leaning forward.

In short, the tie has remained an important ornamental accessory,required in many common settings, but for such a common accessory,surprisingly, it has, not been utilized to address the need foreffectively concealed technological devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1:

A pocket in position on a necktie, bearing upper (10), and lower (50)tabs along the extended long axis of the pocket, a flap (20) and aslanted upper edge (30) in the side of the pocket which rests againstthe wearer (40).

FIG. 2:

A pocket in position on a necktie, bearing a flap (20) having a depth(70); and a slanted upper edge (30) in the side of the pocket whichrests against the wearer (40).

FIG. 3:

A pocket in which corners of the upper edge of the side of the pocketwhich rests against the wearer terminate at points having the samedistance from the upper edge of the pocket.

FIG. 4:

A pocket (120) attached to a tie (90). The pocket has two tabs, (110)and (150), which bear insertion slots through which buttons (100) and(130), respectively, are inserted. The upper tab (110) is alternativelydepicted in dashed lines as folded downward. No device is depicted inthe figure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to a tie which comprises a suitablyplaced pocket and attachment mechanism such that the tie can be used toconceal and carry devices having relatively flat profiles withoutcausing the motion of the tie to be awkward with wearer movement.Furthermore, the article of the present invention conceals and carriessuch devices without causing creases or outlines on the front surface ofthe tie. In one embodiment, the pocket is sized such that it has theability to snugly contain an object having approximate dimensions of4.5×3.5×0.5 inches or less. In another embodiment the pocket is sizedsuch that it has the ability to snugly contain an ipod. In anotherembodiment, the pocket is sized such that it has the ability to thesnugly contain one or more items of card-thickness, such as businesscards, credit cards or the like. In another embodiment, the pocket issized such that it has the ability to fit an iphone.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Unlike other designs, the present invention can port objects having aflat profile and a weight as great or greater than about 8 ounceswithout causing outlines or creases on the front surface of the tie. Theweight is secured in a pocket secured to the shirt with at least oneattachment slot attached to the pocket edge, or an attachment holewithin the surface of the pocket facing away from the tie. The pocket isattached to the wide portion of the tie, and is dimensioned such thatits corners do not extend beyond the edges of the tie, allowing the tieto carry the device without moving unnaturally with wearer motion.Furthermore, the tie also does not buckle when the wearer leans over.Upon stowing the appliance in the pocket, the weight of the load issupported by the attachment slots or button hole.

The necktie pocket of the present invention comprises a front and aback. The front and back may be of two different materials or of thesame material. The word “material” as used here has a meaning which isnot limited to textiles and woven fabrics, but encompasses sheet-likeforms which are fabricated in ways other than weaving, such as, forexample, forms fabricated by rolling and cutting.

While many different materials can be used, materials having a thicknessof less than or about 0.8 mm are preferred, with materials having athickness in the range of from about 0.05 to about 0.25 most preferred.Examples of suitable materials include organic fabrics such as fabricsbased on cotton, flax, jute, mohair, silk, wool, hemp, tweed and thelike, or other fabrics consisting of or comprising fibers or threads oforganic materials such as, but not limited to the forenamed materials orother cellulose-based fibers. Suitable materials also include fabricsconsisting of or comprised of synthetic threads or fibers, for example,those of nylon, rayon, polyester, spandex, acetate, acrylic, modacrylic,and olefin, or other synthetic materials. Many fabrics having a blend oforganic and inorganic components are suitable. So called “non-wovenfabrics, such as, for example sheets of polytetrafluoroethylene, nylon,or other synthetics formed by processes such as, for example, rolling orcutting, can be used to comprise the present invention.

It is preferred that the side of the pocket which rests against thewearer be of a material which is sheer and sleek to such as degree thatthe intended article slides easily into and out of the pocket with out“grabbing” or bunching of the pocket material. Furthermore, sheermaterials having a degree of transparency are preferred; the device inthe pocket can be adjusted without removal from the pocket, adding tothe unobtrusiveness of the design. Such fabrics are also generallycooler in that they dissipate heat at a faster rate that non-sheerfabrics. One advantage to such a design is that the heat produced duringthe operation of the device is readily dissipated from the sheer surfaceand thus the pocket remains comfortable to the wearer over long periodsof time. Furthermore, because the pocket does not produce elevatedtemperatures when worn, less sweat is produced by the wearer, and thepocket material remains dry, ensuring that the article slides freely inand out of the pocket.

In general, many different types of sheer materials can be utilized forthe pocket surface which faces the wearer. Preferred are materialshaving some degree of transparency such as, for example, tricot, tulle,voile, organdy, organza, net, lawn, linen, chiffon, georgette and lace.Other sheer materials having less transparency can also be used, but areless preferred. Such materials are preferred for the surface of thepocket which contacts the tie, and include most types of natural orsynthetic fabric. These fabrics can include fabrics used for lining,underlining, backing or mounting, including silk, china silk, batiste,bemberg, cotton net, satin, muslin, organza, taffeta or tricot.Preferred is lining fabric as it is thin and lightweight.

Non-fabric materials can also be used in the present invention. Examplesinclude sheet synthetic materials, such as of the aforementionedsynthetic materials.

In one embodiment, the side of the pocket which is against the tie is ofsilk, or of the material from which the tie is made. In anotherembodiment, both the side of the pocket against the tie and the sideagainst the wearer are of silk or of the material from which the tie ismade.

It should be noted that the necktie pocket of the present invention canbe integral. By “integral,” it is meant that the pocket can be of“one-piece” construction. Examples of such construction are one-piecedesigns comprising a folded piece of construction material which is sewnor otherwise seamed such that it forms a pocket. Another example of aone-piece construction is a flattened tubular section, which may bepreferred in the case of synthetic or sheet construction materials.Where a pocket is of one-piece construction, it is preferred that theunsewn, closed sides be creased such the pocket lies flat against thewearer. In a preferred embodiment, the pocket is of two-piececonstruction.

In one embodiment, the pocket comprises a flap (FIG. 2, 60). Preferably,the flap is integral with the side of the pocket which rests against thetie, although in one embodiment, the flap is sewn to the body of thepocket, and in an additional embodiment, the flap is not of the samematerial as the side of the pocket to which it is attached. Preferably,the flap has a depth (FIG. 2, 70) which is in the range of from about0.5 inches to about 3.5 inches, and more preferably in the range of fromabout 0.5 inches to about 2.0 inches.

In one embodiment, the necktie pocket of the present invention comprisesa slanted edge to the front side of the pocket (FIG. 2, 65). Preferably,the slanted edge is relatively straight and does not bear projections oredgings that interfere significantly with the insertion or extraction ofthe device. In one embodiment, the edge deviates from being straight inthat the lower portion of the edge comprises a slightly concave sectionwhich facilitates the insertion and extraction of the device. In oneembodiment, the slanted edge is finished along its length with stitchingor lamination which stiffens the edge and improves the ability of thewearer to insert and extract the device. In one embodiment the uppermostcorner of the slanted edge terminates at a corner of the pocket. Inother embodiments, the upper corner of the edge terminates at a pointbelow a pocket corner (See FIG. 2). In a further embodiment, the uppercorner of the edge terminates at a point which is in the range of fromabout 0.25 inches to about 2.0 inches below a corner of the pocket. Thelowermost corner of the edge preferably terminates at a point which isin the range of from about 0.25 to about 2.0 inches below a corner ofthe pocket. However, in another preferred embodiment the lowermostcorner of the edge is low enough such that controls on the edge or bodyof a device carried within the pocket are exposed, such as button- orwheel-shaped volume, selection or other controls.

In one embodiment, the corners of the edge terminate at points which arein the range of from about 0.0 to about 2.0 inches below a corner of thepocket. In a further embodiment, the corners of the edge terminate atequal distances from the upper edge of the pocket as shown in FIG. 3. Infurther embodiments, the edge is straight, or it bears one or moreconcave portions.

The necktie pocket of the present invention preferably comprises atleast one attachment means. Said attachment means can be a clip whichsecures the necktie pocket against the shirt of the wearer in the tie'snatural position against the shirt. Such a clip should secure the middleof the pocket to the wearer's shirt, such that when loaded, the pocketremains flat against the wearer's shirt, even when the wearer leansover. In a preferred embodiment, said at least one attachment meanscomprises at least one attachment slot. By “attachment slot” is meant aslot or a loop into which a button on the shirt of the wearer can beinserted, maintaining the necktie pocket in a flat position against theshirt of the wearer. If two such attachment slots are used (for example,see FIG. 1 in which an attachment slot extends from the upper and loweredge of the pocket, although the embodiment speaks to situations inwhich the slots are in two different positions) the necktie pocket isessentially immobilized against the shirt of the wearer.

In one embodiment, the necktie pocket itself has an attachment slot inits exposed side into which one of the shirt buttons of the wearer isinserted. In another embodiment, the pocket comprises attachment loopsor attachment slots, preferably two, one of which can be located at themiddle of the upper edge of the pocket and one of which can be locatedin the middle of the lower edge of the pocket. See, for example, FIG. 1,10 and 50). In one embodiment, the attachment slots are each able toreceive a button on a standard dress shirt. In one embodiment, the slotshave lengths such that the slots can simultaneously accommodate a buttonon dress shirts having a range of distances between buttons. Thus, thepocket can be used with nearly any dress shirt, even though the buttondistances for one shirt may not be exactly equal to the button distancesof another shirt; the pocket can accommodate the buttons on most or alldress shirts. In yet another embodiment, the slots are comprised of arelatively sturdy material, or are reinforced such that they have adegree of resistance to bending and retain the functional aspects oftheir shapes, such as a rigid slot which is not bent or crimped, andwhich can accept a button without needing to be straightened orflattened. In another embodiment, the attachment slots are of a materialsuch that they are flexible or floppy, and such that they may requirestraightening or flattening in order to accept a button. In a preferredembodiment, at least one of the slots has the shape of two parallel flatstrips which are joined together for a portion of their lengths suchthat they form a slot. In another preferred embodiment, the slots arecomprised of an elastic material such that the slot can be stretched, ifnecessary, to accommodate a button. In a most preferred embodiment, oneslot is located essentially in the middle of the upper edge, on the backpiece of the pocket, and one is located essentially in the middle of thelower edge of the pocket; each attachment slot comprises an elasticmaterial; and the midpoints of the slots contained in each attachmentslot are in the range of from about 5 inches apart to about 9 inchesapart.

In another embodiment, the pocket comprises one or more tabs, eachcontaining one or more insertion slots. In a preferred embodiment,illustrated in FIG. 1, the pocket comprises two tabs, one tab (the“upper tab”) is located essentially in the middle of the upper edge, onthe back piece of the pocket, and one tab (the “lower tab”) is locatedessentially in the middle of the lower edge of the pocket. At least onetab, and preferably both tabs comprise multiple insertion slots whichare, in one embodiment, serially arranged on the tab in positions alongthe extended long axis of the pocket. In one embodiment, the tabs arecomprised of an elastic material. In a preferred embodiment, and themidpoint of each slot on the upper tab is in the range of from about 4inches to about 10 inches from the midpoint of each slot on the lowertab.

It should be noted that insertion slots and/or tabs which are orientedalong the vertical axis of the pocket and tie can be folded upward (inthe case of a downward pointing tab) or downward (in the case of anupward pointing tab) and accept a button through the slots thereon.Folding the tabs/insertion slots enables the inventive pocket toaccommodate an even range of button spacings. Furthermore, it preventsthe flap from opening, providing an extra measure of protection for thedevice stowed in the pocket.

1) A necktie pocket, said pocket comprising a front, a back, an upperattachment slot, a lower attachment slot. 2) A pocket as in claim 1,additionally comprising a top flap. 3) A pocket as in claim 1,additionally comprising a muslin front. 4) A pocket as in claim 1,additionally comprising at least one attachment loop. 5) A pocket as inclaim 1, additionally comprising at least two attachment loops. 6) Apocket as in claim 4, wherein said attachment loop is attached at one ofsaid upper or lower borders. 7) A pocket as in claim 5, wherein oneattachment loop is attached at said upper border, and one attachmentloop is attached at said lower border. 8) A pocket as in claim 1,wherein the front and back are two separate pieces which have beenjoined at their edges. 9) A pocket as in claim 8 wherein the front andback are integral. 10) A pocket as in claim 1 wherein the dimensions aresuch that said pocket can snugly contain an ipod. 11) A pocket as inclaim 1 wherein the dimensions are such that said pocket can snuglycontain one or more business cards and/or credit cards. 12) A necktiecomprising a pocket, said pocket attached to the back of the tie atapproximately the widest portion of the tie.